At what point do you realize that some scratches just aren`t going to come out?

[Guitarist302008]

I`ve been detailing for the last 5-7 years and I remember I thought that I could get any scratch out (as long as it wasn`t down to the primer and while i`ve been surprised at some of the ones that I have gotten out...i`ve come to the realization that not all of them are going to come out.



I`ve got a few on the car i`m doing now... they are those deep scratches but are like dents... they are still the same body color and such, but I would just rather save the clearcoat.



Anyway, 2 passes with heavy cut compound and an orange pad with my Flex DA is my limit now. Sometimes there may be those small ones that I will just do some spot work, but other than that... that`s my limit.



How do you all go about this?

[BluBrett]

If my finger nail comes close to catching in it, it stays. If I know the clear coat in that area is already thin, it stays. If it is inconspicuous, the longevity of my clear coat is more important, so it stays. Otherwise, HD UNO to the rescue!

[Accumulator]

Although I can do pretty well just from experience, these days I take ETG readings if I`m not sure, especially if it`s a vehicle I don`t know the history of.



But IMO, *given normal clearcoat thickess* (i.e., not repainted, not previously corrected), two passes with a product that the Flex 3401 will break down isn`t all that aggressive IMO. I`m kinda a fanatic about not overthinning clear (heh heh, just ask Barry Theal, he and I are almost polar opposites on this topic!), but I`ll still do a *LOT* more aggressive correction than that.



BTW, a gentle wetsanding with 2K, followed by 3-4K, is often an easy and *safer* way to tackle RIDS. If a littl work with the 2000 grit paper doesn`t get it out, then live with it.



But all that having been said, I`d rather you live with the RIDS and keep the clear nice and thick ;)

[SpoolinNoMore]

If my finger nail comes close to catching in it, it stays. If I know the clear coat in that area is already thin, it stays. If it is inconspicuous, the longevity of my clear coat is more important, so it stays. Otherwise, HD UNO to the rescue!

We have the same damage criteria for aircraft strut chrome and I like to use that for assessing scratches that can be removed VIA an aggressive polish. If your fingernail can catch, its not worth grinding the clear down far enough to even out the scratch. Your best bet is to just make its appearance less noticeable without sacrificing the clear.

[Guitarist302008]

We have the same damage criteria for aircraft strut chrome and I like to use that for assessing scratches that can be removed VIA an aggressive polish. If your fingernail can catch, its not worth grinding the clear down far enough to even out the scratch. Your best bet is to just make its appearance less noticeable without sacrificing the clear.



yeah, this is my feeling about it

[TedFred]

yeah, this is my feeling about it

I have never sean anything on an aircraft chromed, aren`t you afraid of hydrogen embrittlement.

[SpoolinNoMore]

The landing gears` inner strut cylinder is chrome. You wouldn`t see it unless you got up close in the wheel wells.

[Guitarist302008]

did you mean to quote SpoolinNomore? lol I don`t detail planes anymore. I only did a few when I was working for a detailing company.